Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-24
NATIONAL SEED SHOP.
The Argument of An agricultural Paper
Against Seed DisrrIbutiou.

American RUrAI Home.
At the recent meeting of the Western
New York Horticultural Society strong
resolutions were introduced by Mr.. j. S.
Woodward, who has been elected secre-
tary of the New York State Agricultural
Society, condemning the methods of dis
triDutng seeds by tne Department of Ag
riCulture at Washington. The resolution
reads as follows:
"Resolved, that we regard the annual
distribution of seeds and plants by the
Department of Agriculture at Washing
ton as great waste of the peoples
money, an insult to the people to whom
sent, disgrace to the nation, aud we de
mand that it be abolished, or at least no
longer be done in the name of egri-
culture"
This is pretty strong Indictment OF
the practice. Whether the author OF the
resolutions would condemn the principle
of distributing seeds by he general gov
eminent, or simply the methods en-
ployed, we cannot say, but we would OPP
pose both the principle and the way in
which the law is carried out. We believe
that it is the exercise of powers not con-
ferred upon the government by the peo-
executed renders it 8 detriment rather
than q benefit to those who are the recip-
tents of seeds.
Agreat many people are urging our
government to do what it has no right to
Edo; to engage in business for the benefit
of the people; TO assume and exercise the
functions of paternal government. Such
people in our opinion, forget the true
of 1pnonP raj tic
tocratic governments claim to exist by
Divine right and authority con-
ferred by the Supreme Ruler upon
some ancestor, and descending by in
heritsnce to certain members of the royal
family. Hence, for the people to elect
ruler would be in opposition to the Dl-
vine will and law, would be wicked and
sacriligious. The ruler thus endowed
with sovereignty may enact such laws as
he thinks best. He Is the secular father
Of the people, and, while he has rlgh.
to their time and service, and even their
lives, if necessary, he may also engage il
enterprises to benefit his ubIects.
In democracy, or republic, such as
ours, we hold that sovereignty is confer
red by the Creator directly upon the indi-
vidual. That the Individual mas the right
use his powers anu possessions in the
way he thinks viii best promote
his happiness, providing that in
doing SO he does not infringe upon
the equal rights of others. In forming a
republican government these equal sUver-
eigns organize and choose, presumably,
some of the wisest and best among them
to enact laws to protect the people il the
g hi
anyone, within or without the republic,
who mig be disposed to violate them.
These sovereisns also choose men to exc
cute or enforce the laws enacted for their
protection.
To compensate the enactors and eX-
ecutors OF the laws for their protection,
the people consent to rellnquiSh the SOW
ereign control of so much or their prop
erty as may be necessary to that end,
and contribute of their means in proper
ton to the protection enjoyed. If the
representatives Of the people exact, in
the form of taxes, more of the earnings of
the people tnan is necessary for the
economical administration of d just and
wise government, they usurp powers not
belonging to them, become unjust and
tyrsnnlcal.
80 long as government llmIlS lLS IuuC-
tons to the simple matter of protection
against the lawless and disorderly, in So
ciety, or against invasion from without, it
is much more likely to meet out equal and
exact justice to all than if it should ex-
coed It's Just powers of protecting and at
tempt to promote and foster the interests
of portion of the people at the expense
of ali. When government attempts to
transact the business of the people, it is
very apt 10 take the earnings of a portion
of the people for the benefit of another
portion, il violation of the sacred rights
of property, and st the same time it be-
comes a competitor with the people Ing
that very business.
Let US take for illustration, one of tie
least Objectionable and most benefcent
Of all the kinds of business in which our
government is engaged, that CT the trans
mission of letters, papers, etc. In that
business she takes of people in the more.
|thickly settled portions more than double
the cost OF carrying their mails, that mails
may be carried to the more sparsely
settled portions where the cost of